


Time For Mrs. Taking What's Mine

by pink_wednesdays



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drinking, F/F, F/M, First Kiss, Good Slytherins, New Year's Eve, Party, Post-Break Up, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28610991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pink_wednesdays/pseuds/pink_wednesdays
Summary: What's a girl to do when she is left heartbroken and alone just the week before New Years? Hide under her covers of course! Or, better yet, what sounds like more fun than a club on New Year's Eve with your favorite Slytherin Princess? And who knows what suprises she has in store.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson/Blaise Zabini
Comments: 8
Kudos: 64
Collections: The Dramione Collection





	Time For Mrs. Taking What's Mine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [realjane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realjane/gifts).



> **I do not own the rights to any Characters in this Fanfiction, those all solely belong to JK Rowling herself. I just claim the plunnie.

Warm beams os sunlight flashed across her feet.  
  
"GET UP!"  
  
More light as yet another pair of curtains were flung open exposing her face to the full midday sun light.   
  
"Get! Up! NOW!" a shrill voice yelled at her as the rhythmic sound of clicking echoed cross her room.   
  
"Stop... stop. Just leave me alone." She grumbled rolling over and yanking her covers over herself, tucking into her own cocoon of safety.   
  
Thud.   
  
Hermione groaned as a pillow landed on the outside of her protective shell, accurately in the place where her head was.   
  
"No." the voice snarked. "I gave you a week."  
  
Thud.  
  
"Your week is up."  
  
 _"Ughh_... And you are the worst!"  
  
"And it is New Year's Eve!"  
  
At the latter announcement Hermione tried to bolt upright but got caught up in disentangling from her cocoon first.  
  
"If you think for one minute that I am going out this night you are sorely mistaken." Her hair was sticking up in all sorts of directions despite the fact that she had been trying to keep it wrangled into the confines of some semblance of a bun. It would take her a week as it was to work that mess out.   
  
Pansy looked down at her, one hand cocked on her hip while the other still gripped her pillow. "And just what makes you think you have a choice?"  
  
"Look at me, I'm absolutely disgusting and I have nothing to wear."   
  
"Yes. Yes you are, but that's nothing a shower and a spa day can't fix and you can just borrow something of mine." She flicked her hand at me dismissively. _“With… Just… a flick of a magic wand, you’re troubles will soon be gone.”  
_  
  
The clicking sound she had heard as she had made her way across the room had been from a pair of black studded booties, that she'd paired with a black leather pantsuit and a Tiffany blue leather jacket. The woman was always one for a statement. If that wasn't enough, she sported blue lips to match.   
  


She groaned to herself as her best friend continued to sing her favorite song from one of the muggle movies she had shown her.

 _“You’ll land a new prince with a tone of cash…eew.”_  
  
The dark-haired witch was currently judging her room with disgust, picking up various articles of clothing between her fingers before tossing them out of her way. As she watched her take in the state of my room, still trying to hold the tears back in my eyes over Ron dumping me for some Quidditch groupie a week to the day, she wondered if this was really what she wanted to do for the rest of the night. Or every night for that matter. Maybe she should get up and try to go out and have some fun.  
  
There truly is no better time to start over like the New Year really, she just wished it didn't hurt so much.   
  
  
With one final shiver of disgust Pansy turned on her heels and stormed toward my bedroom door. "Good. It's settled, I'll be in the living room waiting." She gave my room one more distasteful once over. "Now get up. You stink!"  
  
  
  


"Pansy I really can't believe I let you talk me into this..." she groaned. With a tug she attempted to pull the teeny dress down lower over her vastly exposed legs.  
  
"What coming out with me to a night club, on tonight of all nights? Seriously, it's not like you really had much better to do." The leggy witch skipped ahead of her, dragging her along past a horde of people.   
  
Coming from anyone else Hermione would have immediately taken offense to the flippant statement and its blatant disregard for her current circumstance. But Pansy being, well Pansy, warranted her a particular type of leeway when it came to her words. It simply wasn't in the witch's nature to force pleasantries, it was in fact one of the reasons Hermione had found herself as endeared to the other woman as she was. She was blunt and straightforward, never shying from telling the truth as it genuinely was. And while others may find it offensive or off-putting, Hermione had quite found that she more readily enjoyed the change in temperament after, well, after everything.   
  
With the end of the war people treated her like a golden child, more often than not tripping over themselves to give her whatever she desired. It grated on her to never really be given the prospect to earn something of her own merit, but of course in the eyes of the rest of wizarding London she already had. Whereas Pansy on the other hand had landed on the wrong side of the war, and aside from her family's wealth, which Hermione would be a complete idiot to believe did not help things along, she had had to fight and claw her way back to societies good standing. She knew plenty a witch or wizard that still were unable to do what her charismatic friend had accomplished in just a few short years.   
  
"Yeah... I was really referring to this outfit. You really don't think its just a tad too revealing, I could just..." she pointed the tip of her wand at them creeping hemline of her golden dress only to have it aggressively smacked away.  
  
"You will do certainly no such thing! That is designer! Do you even know who you are wearing right now and how much that clothing cost? Circe help me if so much as pull a thread I will hex you into next week." Pansy scowled at her all the while looking her up and down appraisingly. "Besides," she added with a shrug, "you look damned hot tonight and rightly so! You are young, single, and its New Year's Eve!”  
  


A flush crept up her cheeks at her friend's words. No one ever really referred to her as hot, not really. Pretty, witty, charming, sure! But honestly she was not an idiot she had known why Ron had strayed, she just wasn't anything to compare to. He'd had witches throwing themselves at him for years, who wouldn't want to be with one of the members of the golden trio, leading it off that he was also the keeper for the Chuddly Canons. He was funny, charismatic, and his athletic build certainly did not hurt, and she had just been her, Hermione Granger, the brains behind the brawn. Never the beauty, and undoubtedly never _hot_.   
  
Pansy quirked her red lips up at her, somehow, she had found the exact shade to match her own minuscule body hugging dress for the night. "Come on Hermione. I promised you a night of excitement and freedom, and that is what you shall have." Her over-confident friend looped her arm through hers while she wrenched her past the rest of the patrons waiting in line.   
  
"Pans, there is a line." Hermione cast an apologetic look at the scowls that were being thrown their way.  
  
The other witch just waved them off dismissively with a flick of one very well-manicured hand. Her bright green eyes flashing mischievously.   
  
"When you are the two sexiest people here you don't stand in line." The brunette spoke with such certainty that Hermione almost believed it, almost. “You are a strong independent woman who is going to go in there and go after whatever and whoever you want tonight. You my friend are a warrior!"  
  
She had no misgiving there was not a sole person in the vicinity that could hold a flame to Pansy Parkinson, her high cheek bones and flawless complexion had always been the envy of every girl at school, just as her long, slender legs, only accentuated by her six inch stilettos, had been the desire of every boy.   
  
The obvious doubt showed on Hermione's face caused Pansy to snicker.

  
"What you don't believe me do you?" she shook her head, her short brown hair cascading around her face only to fall effortlessly back in place as Hermione looked on with envy. As they neared the front of the line, and the bouncer, Hermione felt herself being thrust forward to greet the man front and center. 

“A warrior!”  
  


Dark and stony eyes stared down at her from a man whose whole hand could wrap around her waist line. By her estimation he would have to weigh about two-seventy pounds easily. His arms we foiled over his chest to reveal his bulging biceps menacingly.   
  
"I...I... err...Hello." She stammered as he eyed her from head to toe. Pansy coughed behind her to hide her laughter. When she turned around to glare at her friend, she found only the barest hint of her face was visible from the way she had angled away from the two of them.   
  
Spinning back to face the giant, she readied herself to apologize to the man for wasting his time, but before the words could even leave her lips, he unfurled his arms and unclipped the rope permitting her to pass with a nod. Pansy slunk in behind her without a word, only flashing a smile at the guard as she too walked past.   
  
  
"See," she bumped her hip against hers. "What'd I tell ya? The two sexiest bitches in the club."  
  
Glancing back Hermione realized what her friend had done. In a single instant she had validated the very point she had been trying to make, even taking herself out of the equation for good measure. Even now she could see the guard's eyes following after her as Pans pulled her down the hall and into the thong of the music.   
  
  
Maybe she was hot, and dare she say it... sexy. Perhaps Ron had been wrong, and she wasn't merely the girl next door. The girl you took home to your mother.  
  
Upon entering the large room, they were faced full on with strobing, colored lights in an unmitigated array colors and music so thunderous Hermione could feel it in her very chest, almost as though the powerful bass was in competition with her heart. Pansy took her hand and drug her through the chaotic throng of dancing groups and along the side up to a set of stairs leading to the VIP vicinity.   
  
"Where are we going?" Hermione cried out to be heard over the music.  
  
Pansy turned and towed her nearer only speaking plainly in her ear. "Come on. I have my own place reserved on the top floor."  
  
She nodded her understanding and the two resumed their trek up the stairs, ignoring the catcalls as they went.   
  
  
The second floor of the night club had roped off lounging areas set up with white leather couches that curved elegantly around an ornate glass table that lit in time with the music. Each section was being waited on with table service.  
  
It must be nice Hermione couldn't help but to think to herself. Sometimes she was still baffled by the way the other part of society lived. Over the past year Pansy had slowly tried acclimating her to her lifestyle of extravagance and lavishness, but there had just been so many things that Hermione just had to refuse. Such as the sneazle fur coat... Tonight, however, she saw no problems with a little special treatment at the hottest night club in London. So hot in fact that it was virtually impossible to get into, so much so that she and her friends had never even made it in before.   
  
Pansy pulled her into a central area that to Hermione's surprise was already occupied by three individuals.  
  
"Well look who finally decided to show up."  
  
"Please, Theodore." Pansy brushed him off while taking one of the last free places available beside him. "You already know that whatever time I choose to show up is automatically on time." Smiling she looked up and shot her a wink as she stood nervously at the entrance.   
  
Once again Hermione could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as she wished for the blasted dress to magically grow four more inches. This was definitely not what she was expecting. Pansy had said she was taking her out to celebrate her New Years, what she had failed to mention was that they would also be accompanied by the most notoriously Slytherin trio she had ever had the pleasure of knowing.   
  
"Granger." The sound of her name was a masculine purr that sent a shiver straight down her spine.   
  
Closing her eyes, she took a deep steadying breath. She could do this. It would not be fair to let him ruin her night, besides they weren't in high school anymore. They were adults, and they could handle whatever remaining differences they had as such. Even if he had been a loathsome foul git.  
  
"Malfoy."  
  
"Fancy seeing you here... and looking like the golden princess wet dreams are made of nonetheless."  
  
Slowly... ever so slowly a smile took over her lips. If Malfoy wanted to play nice, then they could play nice.

In return the blonde wizard who was eyeing her appreciatively lifted his own in that infuriating trade mark crooked grin. Only this time it wasn't malicious in any way, it was deliciously seductive. The fire raging behind his gaze was enough to make any girl wet her knickers.   
  
Hermione, deciding Pansy was right, made her way over to the empty place beside the tall blonde wizard, whose well-toned body was stretched out leisurely taking up more than his portion of the chair. To hell what everyone thought of her she could show them. Lifting one of his legs gently with her wand she slipped into the seat before lowering it once again to rest in her nearly bare lap. She would show them all how wrong they truly were. Everyone around her, watched her with astonishment, except for Pansy she merely arched one impeccably shaped eyebrow and nodded her head once in approval.  
  
If Draco wouldn't make room for her then she would merely create some room. It was as simple as that.   
  
This was her night, Harry may have a heart attack come the morning, but it was her turn to finally have some fun.   
  
"Well this just got interesting." Zabini commented from his perch across the table.   
  
"Indeed it did." Malfoy tilted his face studiously at her whilst he handed her one of the glasses he plucked from the passing waiter.   
  
His fingers lingered a little longer than necessary as he passed the glass into her waiting hand, she swore she felt sparks at the contact. She elevated the glass to her lips, never tearing her eyes away from his unwavering gaze.   
  
"Please do tell us," Theo questioned from his place beside Pans, "what actually brought you out to join us tonight. Shouldn't you be spending your time with the other members of the Golden Trio?"  
  
Pansy coughed and kicked him in the shin as a signal for him to drop the subject matter. The last thing her friend wanted to deal with was another bout of tears as reality came crashing down around Hermione once again.   
  
Tilting her head back Hermione downed the remainder of her glasses contents and gestured for another. Already she could start to feel the slight tingle in her nose from the liqueurs effects. Tonight she would not cry, this evening she would get over that red-headed git.   
  
Draco continued to eye her curiously from his place beside her all the while she rested her hands upon the limb still laying idly in her lap. Taking a sip of her second drink she decided Theo's question was fair enough. Her fingers began idly playing with the pleat in the pants leg before her.   
  
After all, if she had taken Pansy to her group and the cards were the other way around she was sure a similar question would be asked, most likely by Ronald of all people.   
  
"Well..." she started then paused unsure of how she wanted to phrase the next part. Aside from her breakdown to Pansy she really hadn't said the words out loud to anyone. "You see, Ronald and I."

  
She took another swallow from her beverage and found herself already staring at the bottom of the glass.   
  
A noisy groan sounded from beside her capturing her attention. She watched as Draco ran one long hand through his hair to rub the back of his neck.   
  
"Are you saying that idiot Weasel actually let you go?"  
  
Finding no better way to voice it herself she silently nodded.   
  
In one smooth motion Draco sat upright pulling his leg from her lap and gave her another thorough once over before holding her eyes in a hypnotic gaze.   
  
"Believe me when I say this. Weasel is a bloody moron. No one in their right mind would have let you walk away."  
  
She couldn't quite tell if the ringing in her ears was from the words that Malfoy had just said or the liquor in her system. Either way that was the second time Draco Malfoy had just complimented her outright, and twice in one night to boot.   
  
She met his eyes back quizzically.   
  
"Huh. Well that's got me beat." Blaise's smooth timbre sighed from across the seating area.  
  
Tearing her eyes away from Draco she faced the handsomely darker wizard.   
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"I always had you down for bailing on him." Kind brown eyes looked over at her from behind a brilliant smile, it's almost hard to believe he got sorted into Slytherin Hermione thought to herself.  
  
"Then again I also had you down for years ago too so there is that."  
  
And there it was, she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Ugh. Get up." She felt a small hand tugging at her arm. "I didn't come here to sit all evening getting knackered!"  
  
"Oh yeah? Then why exactly did you decide to grace us with your presence this evening Pans?" Blaise chuckled as he stood as well, straightening out the sleeves on his shirt.  
  
The petite brunette witch scoffed indignantly as she continued to pull Hermione to a standing position. "To get knocked _and_ shake my ass off of course!" She gave the boys a parting wink as she pulled a stumbling Hermione away and back down towards the lower level.   
  
"Well, you work fast." Her friend yelled at her over the music.   
  
Unsure of what Pansy was talking about Hermione just shook her head and held her hands up in question.   
  
Pansy just rolled her eyes and beamed as she hauled her onto the dance floor. "Of course you don't."   
  
"I don't really do this."  
  
That was a lie really. She loved to dance, it was only the last time she had the chance to do such and enjoy herself had been fourth year at the Yule Ball when she had attended with Victor Krum. Ron, Ron did not dance, therefore she hadn't had the opportunity to really let loose since.  
  
Pansy grabbed another passing couple of shots immediately shoving one into Hermione's hand. "Cheers!"  
  
Not one to be rude even though she could already feel the lightening effects of her other two drinks, knowing it was not the wisest decision, she upended the shot with her friend and allowed the smoldering liquid to trail down her throat.   
  
"Goodness gracious what was that?" she could still feel its burning contents lighting a fire in her belly and slowly making its way through her limbs.  
  
"No idea!" the smile on Pansy's face was infectious and Hermione found herself laughing along with her as they moved deeper onto the dance floor. Their bodies swayed and bounced to the thump of the music, the lights flashed above them and her dress sparkled like a thousand tiny stars. Strangers pressed in all around, but Hermione could not remember a time when she had felt so free.   
  
Pansy pulled her close so the two of them were dancing together, a tangled mess of arms and legs as they clung to each other catching the eyes of all the men on the floor. She permitted the music to carry her away as she shook her body to the rhythm, Pansy's hands rested at her hips. She suspected each of them was using the other to stay steady on their feet.   
  
The world around her disappeared in a cacophony of flashing lights and sound taking all her nights problems away with it.   
  
"He can't take his eyes off of you, you know." Pansy whispered in her ear drawing her closer.  
  
"Who?" Hermione asked her eyes quickly scanning around the room.   
  
Pansy did an intricate twirl stretching out both of their arms. "Draco of course."  
  
She whirled back in, Hermione's arms engulfing her instinctively.   
  
She couldn’t help but laugh, how ludicrous.   
  
"Surely not."  
  
"No? You did quite a number on him up there. And down here." The witch dipped low, sliding down her body to emphasize her point.   
  
"He was just being polite." She tried to reason even as she felt her heart pick up a notch.   
  
Her friend let out a wholehearted laugh and spun Hermione around moving her body to the beat against her. "Look straight ahead." Her lips swept the shell of her ear as she whispered against the music.   
  
Hermione's eyes traveled across the dance floor and found the exact topic of their conversation. There at the bar leaning casually while nursing a beverage was Malfoy, his silver eyes bearing directly into hers. He tipped his glass in her direction at her sudden awareness and a jolt of nerves shot down her spine.   
  
"But... but its Malfoy. He's hated me literally for as long as I have known him."  
  
"Has he?" Pansy ran her hands down the short length of Hermione's dress and toyed with the bare skin of her thighs. Draco's eyes darkened as he continued to watch.   
  
Spinning her again Pansy took her surprised face in her own hands and tilted forward, their lips just a breath apart. "I guess you'll never know until you find out." Her words, like her ruby red lips ghosted seductively across Hermione's firing chills up her arms.   
  
Before Hermione had the ability to answer Pansy permitted herself to be pulled away and back deeper onto the dance floor by Zabini.  
  
"Sorry Granger, you've had your fun. It's my turn."  
  
Alone staring after them aghast on the dance floor Hermione was quite sure what to do with herself. Initially when Pansy had told her she was bringing her out she had thought it was going to just be the two of them here, so the possibility of her friend abandoning her had not traversed her mind. But now... she chewed at her lower lip as she contemplated on what to do. Turning back away from the dance floor darkened gray eyes met hers once again.   
  
She hesitated for just a moment. Better the enemy you know than he stranger you don't, the last thing she wanted was to wind up drugged and in some random wizard's apartment...or worse. Besides, he'd seemed sincere enough upstairs.   
  
She made her way over to the bar corner where Malfoy was still sipping on his cocktail.   
  
"You undoubtedly look like you're enjoying yourself this evening." He smiled into his glass instantly setting her at ease.  
  
"I am." She nodded her head enthusiastically. "I'm really glad Pansy brought me out tonight."  
  
"You and me both." He tilted his head appreciatively.   
  
There it was again, that would count as an almost third compliment for the evening. Maybe Pansy... No, surely not.  
  
Deciding to change the issue she gestured her head toward his glass. "What are you drinking?"  
  
She watched as he shrugged, swirling the glass around in his hand initiating the large ball of ice to jangle around noisily. "Nothing you would be interested in. It's some version of an old fashioned."  
  
She felt her brows lift at his proclamation. He clearly did not know her that well, and she had always reveled in proving him wrong. Lifting herself up she tipped across the bar top, her legs raising off the ground as she flagged down the nearest cocktail waiter.   
  
"For Merlin's sake." Draco ran one hand down his face beside her as he watched her drunken antics, her full rounded bottom practically on complete display. "Granger you're killing me."  
  
"Yes miss?" the bartender arrived in record time and took one look at Hermione before deciding to lay on the charm. "Just what can I get a pretty little thing such as yourself to drink this glorious evening?"  
  
She felt herself giggle as she slid back down onto her own feet and the bartender let out a low whistle. Beside her she could have sworn she heard a low growl but who could be sure with all the music blaring in the room.  
  
"Glorious, is it? And just what is it that makes tonight so much more glorious than others?" she planted her hands on her hips flirtatiously. "Also, I'll have whatever he's having." She nodded in the direction of the glass currently clenched in Malfoy's white knuckled grip.   
  
Something in her was blooming at all the new attention she was collecting. She had had the public s eye a plenty before, but she had never really gotten the good fortune to be appreciated as a woman. And to be honest, while it went against every feminist bone in her body, she couldn't help but to love it.   
  
The man behind the counter's eyes glanced briefly over at Draco before grabbing an empty glass to prepare a duplicate for her.   
  
"Coming right up." He told her with a lopsided smile.   
  
This time she knew she did not imagine the groan she heard coming from Draco's way.   
  
She grinned, again the bartender winked in her path, and she had to stifle another bout of giggles.   
  
"So what brings you here tonight? I don't think I have seen you around. I doubt there is a way even I could forget a face as beautiful as yours."  
  
"I came here with a friend." She found herself vaguely gesturing out on the dance floor as he slipped her drink across the marble bar top. She picked it up taking a sip meeting Malfoy's steely eyes, the whiskey drink burned its whole way down but there was a subtle smokiness that she couldn't quite place.   
  
"Friends..." she amended.   
  
He quirked an eyebrow, "Go ahead and make another round...for friends."  
  
Finishing their other cocktails in record time their jovial friend left the twosome alone, but not before sliding Hermione his name and telling her to owl him. She tried to hide her blush as she turned back to face Draco, but was surprised to find that the tips of his ears had gone red as he was glaring at the retreating figure.  
  
"Malfoy? Are you alright?" she asked him delicately placing a hand on his forearm, again it was as though she could feel little jolts of electricity where her skin met his.   
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Even though his voice sounded gruff and strained to her ears.   
  
"Sooo... Pansy and Blaise?"  
  
"Oh," he chucked more to himself more than to her as he peered down at his shoes. "The two of them have been cavorting around each other for ages."  
  
His eyes raised and looked out across the dance floor prompting hers to follow where she found Pansy and Blaise in a much more sensual embrace moving in ways that she would ever deem dancing herself.  
  
"She's never mentioned him before." Hermione stated very bluntly gesturing at the two.  
  
"Yeah she wouldn't. He made her mad back at school, and she hadn't quite finished making him pay for it yet." Draco rubbed the back of his neck, seemingly uncomfortable with the current subject.  
  
"Really? What on Earth could ha have possibly done to warrant a what, a three-year punishment?"  
  
Draco coughed clearing his throat. "You really don't want to know."  
  
"Oh, now I really do!"   
  
And she really, really did. Placing both hands on her hips she stared him down in a challenge, daring him not to tell her.   
  
"Oy! What's are you getting up to mate?"   
  
If Hermione would not be sentenced to spend some time in Azkaban for literally hexing someone's bullocks off, she would have done so to Nott's in that very instance. He seemed to have the most impeccable timing. She could essentially see the tension melting from Malfoy's shoulders.   
  
That was until Theo looked over and noticed her standing mere feet away looking immensely flustered. He easily smirked then looked back to Draco and back to Hermione again.   
  
"So, who is it that's going to fill me in on what I just walked up on?" he rubbed his hands together reminding Hermione of one of those comic book villains she used to see on the tele as a child.  
  
Hermione let out a long sigh of defeat. "It was nothing really, just whatever the reason Pansy is angry at Blaise over."  
  
Instantly a look of dread washed over Draco's face while Theo's lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.   
  
"Oh, it was nothing really," Theo responded mimicking my defeated tone in mockery, "he just slept with Ginny Weasley in seventh year."  
  
"No!"   
  
Both hands came up to cover the gasp that escaped her wide-open mouth.  
  
"Mate, did this really seem like the time or the place to do this?" she could hear Draco scolding Theo as he gestured over at her still shocked form.   
  
Theo looked back and forth between the couple of them, obviously growing more bored by the second, not garnering the reaction he had been anticipating.  
  
"You have got to be kidding me! You're not being serious right?" Hermione asked Theo, eyes wide, doing her best to contain her emotions.   
  
The corner of the dark-haired wizard's mouth tilted up as he propped back on his elbow resting on the bar top. Getting comfortable for the show to come.   
  
A simple nod of his head. "Yup." Extra emphasis on the _P_.  
  
Hermione balled up her fists, doing her best not to spill her drink in hand and squealed her elation into the room, entirely confident she would be drowned out be the sound thriving around her.  
  
Whilst Theo's smirk did not falter his eyebrows rose at the same rate as his friend at her side.   
  
"Oh, for heaven's sake this is too impeccable!"   
  
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Harry would most certainly lose his mind if he ever learned that Ginny had been with Blaise Zabini. Naturally, they had been on a break at the time, but Harry felt a certain way about Slytherins.   
  
"Am I the only one who feels like he's missing something?" Theo questioned curiously in Malfoy's direction while rocking onto the heel of his shoes.  
  
The blonde wizard simply shook his head and crossed his arms watching the witch laugh hysterically.  
  
"Its just... its just, you know break-ups and all. Well, she sided with Ron after all. I thought we were more mature than that, but well." She raised her hands in a shrug as if that explained why she was standing where she was. "And let us not forget that where Ginny goes Harry is sure to follow. So..." she chuckled again, "and she slept with a Slytherin."  
  
Draco just looked at her as she laughed on with an amused smirk, a silver glint in his eyes.   
  
"Mate, I do believe this tiny Gryffindor witch just insulted us." Theo took a quick swig of his cold drink. "I demand to know what you are going to do to regain our honor!"  
  
"Hey but this tiny Gryffindor witch helped to first handedly defeat the Dark Lord." She waggled her index finger at him in a circular motion.   
  
"Please Granger, we all know without you we would have all been doomed." Theo waved her off dismissively.   
  
Malfoy let out a bark of a laugh, and she turned an accusatory glare to him.   
  
"What? It's true."  
  
Up to Five.  
  
"Anyway, while I really do appreciate your most lovely company it is not quite the brand I am looking for tonight."  
  
"Oh? And just what are you looking for?" she asked with an insinuating smile on her face.  
  
"Why, someone to embrace when the bell strikes twelve of course!" He threw his hand over his chest in mock offense. He coyly smiled and bent over to lift her hand to his lips, placing a gentle caress upon her knuckles. "Remember my lady, when the clock strikes midnight it is but good luck to place a lover's kiss amidst its tolls."  
  
For once Hermione Granger had no words to say to Theodore Nott and she was not quite sure how she felt at being rendered speechless. She even felt Malfoy stiffen by her side.  
  
"Maybe I'll get lucky and tonight will be my night to find Mrs. Nott. You never know." Throwing his hands up he backed away. He gave Hermione one last wink before spinning on his heel and disappearing into the throng of dancing people.   
  
"Well, that was undoubtedly..."  
  
"Dance with me."  
  
He didn't. Not really. It was more of a command as he held his hand out to her waiting, sure that she would take it imploring her to grin cheekily to herself. She would not. This was her time to show everyone who Hermione Granger really was, and she would not be led or ordered anywhere. Not any longer.   
  
It was a New Year and that meant the turning of a new page.  
  
She would dance, and she would dance with him, but only because she desperately wanted to.  
  
The glass in her hand sounded on the bar top as she placed it down before spinning and walking purposefully towards the dance floor, abandoning a gaping Draco Malfoy behind in her wake.   
  
"Are you coming or not?" She tossed her hair over her shoulder when she got a few feet away looking back at the pale sexy focus of her attentions of the evening.   
  
Grey eyes stared back at her in an unreadable silver storm as he downed the last of his glass before he followed after her.   
  
Biting one side of her lip, she grinned to herself and turned back into the thickening foray of swaying people swinging her own hips to the beat. Behind her she heard Draco swear.   
  
Hands wrapped their way around her belly pulling her to a stop amongst the raucous gathering of partiers. She could feel the warmth of his body press closely to hers, but never making full physical contact, ever the gentleman, as he led her body in a dance to the thrum of the music.  
  
"It's not entirely fair is it?" his lips stroked against the shell of her ear delivering tremors of pleasure up and down her back.  
  
"Is what fair?"  
  
"You."   
  
He paused, just long enough to let her heart to skip a beat making her begin to question herself, as she held her breath.   
  
"Undeniably stunning and bloody brilliant too. Granger you're a solid ten. A fucking unicorn."  
  
She exhaled at his next set of words and her heart restarted in a new erratic rhythm all of its own. Yeah, he was good. Really good.   
  
She loved it.  
  
Hermione found that she was also quite keen of the feel of his hands resting against her waist. She liked the heat that radiated from them that seemed to slide over her skin like the warm rays of sunlight had this morning, and she also quite liked the flutter it sent straight to her stomach. She swayed back and forth to the rhythm of the song with him tossing her head from side to side, her hair swinging silkily against her back. His body never missing a step as she slid her hand down his until her petite fingers laced with a pair of much larger, much paler ones than her own.   
  
A couple of times she had spied both Pansy and Blaise watching them from their place on the floor. The reassuring smiles she had received from Pansy was all the encouragement drunken and emboldened Hermione needed. She was a strong independent woman who went after what she wanted. She was a warrior! So, what if that thing she happened to want winded up being the cause of all her childhood strife and frustrations, not to mention her best friend's nemesis.   
  
Continuing to allow the music to flow through her, as Draco guided her, she directed his hands to the different places she wanted them. He groaned, but his hand slid easily enough as she headed one hand up her stomach to slide over her breasts until she could bring the palm of hand to cup the side of her face. The other she slid down, and there was more resistance as she led him down the short expanse of her dress to allow his hand to caress the exposed flesh of her leg. Brushing her face into his hand she moaned, just needing to feel the direct contact of his skin.

Finally succeeding in pushing him over one of his limits.  
  
Pulling his hand so that he held her chin gently he tugged her back against him by her waist suddenly, all in time with the song.   
  
The tempo changed, slowing just enough that she could feel every part of Draco pressed against her as he guided her in a dance so provocative that she was panting, and quite frankly worried about the state of her knickers.   
  
Still, she ground her back into him as his hand roamed over her freely touching her everywhere except for anywhere that mattered. It seemed that Draco Malfoy was perfectly fine with letting the woman set the pace and damned if that didn't make her want to push his boundaries even more. To see how much his will could really take.  
  
She twisted in his arms, bringing her arms up to cradle around his neck. She pressed the full length of her body against him. Batting her eyelashes, she looked up into his dark hooded eyes, biting her lip contemplatively. Almost of its own volition her face drew nearer to his, her eyes drawn to his lips.  
  
She would not kiss him though, so she slipped to the side and allowed her lips to graze against his skin as she breathed again his cheek as they moved up and down to the sound of the music. She would kiss him obviously. Any witch would be crazy not to, the wizard was gorgeous, she had seen all the eyes on him tonight. It was simply she would not be the one to make the move for the first kiss, that was if they were to have one at all anyway.   
  
He tugged on her hair pulling her face before him, his face circled hers but never brought his lips in direct contact with her own. The tension built between them so strongly that Hermione soon found it unbearable, so she leapt away while he merely watched her with a cool chuckle. With some distance she could breathe, she could think. What she was really needed to do was study him, try to figure out his end game at this point. So far, he had been the ideal gentleman, and she really did not know how far she could push that boundary before she became the creeper in the situation.   
  
Her eyes took him in studiously as he devoured her ever move. He was a man starving, and she was the full course entrée. It was also the look of a man who looked like he was used to getting what he wanted, he knew he could just wait patiently for it.  
  
No, she would not force this too far, could not if she tried. Draco Malfoy, former Death Eater and pure blood fanatic wanted her. And desperately so. And to be honest, like all the girls at Hogwarts, she had always fancied him a little herself, bully or not... he had always been the most gorgeous boy at school and well, teenagers were vain. She just never thought the occasion would arise where she would be in the place where she would be on the receiving end of _that look_.   
  
The music picked back up, and she let out a laugh of exhilaration. For tonight, for dancing, for this moment, and she raised up her own spelled hair before feeling it cascade back behind her as the song hit its crescendo. The lights swirling in the fog around her making her look elusive and ethereal. Magical.   
  
Reaching back out he grasped her wrist and reeled her back into him.   
  
"Come here." The lazy smile never left his face he pulled her close, wrapping her small frame in his arms.  
  
His hair felt like velvet as it slipped through her fingers. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the tell-tale rapid beat of his heart. The smell of sandalwood and cooling mint wafted from his being, it smelled crisp and clean...expensive and she found it entirely intoxicating. They danced as she drifted, getting lost in the feel and sensations of Draco Malfoy around her, his every move a perfect complement to her own. If she were honest with herself, she was surprised really by how good of a dancer he had ended up being.   
  
Idly she wondered how many other things there were that she did not know about Draco Malfoy. She knew he fancied an old fashioned, he rather adored his friends and vice versa it seemed, and while they may have history, he can also put up with Pansy's Pansiness.   
  
He clearly can't still be all bad, even if he was still a tad spoiled and pretentious. For starters, he clearly was not the same person he used to be back in school, either that of all of it had been an act. She found the former to be much more plausible. From what she'd witnessed tonight, and not that it had been much at all really, he actually seemed pretty even tempered, or even the opposite, perhaps a little cold. Nothing at all like Ronald who had always been so quick to fly off the handle about every little thing.   
  
She shuddered. The more she had a chance to step back and really look at all of Ron's personality traits she was beginning to realize this just may have been the best thing that may have happened to her.   
  
Watching Pansy grind all over Blaise not too far from where they were all but letting her know it would be up to her to find her own way home this evening.   
  
So, either way she needed to make a decision she supposed.   
  
Hmm. She could sleep with him tonight. But she knew the odds of her hearing from him again after that were slim to none. Or, on the other hand, she could not sleep with him and maybe he would owl her, but maybe not. And maybe she would have just missed an opportunity to enjoy her night.   
  
So lost in thought, she didn't notice the music turning down.   
  
She'd never had a one-night stand before. She scrunched her nose up in distaste. Then creased her brows in thought, but then again, she'd _never_ had a one-night stand before.   
  
"Sixteen! Fifteen! Fourteen!"  
  
The countdown began around them startling her out of her thoughts and causing her to spin out of the warmth of Draco's embrace.  
  
It was midnight on New Year's Eve. For the first time that she could since she was practically a teenager she was single.  
  
"TEN! NINE!"  
  
A dainty hand slid into her left giving her a gentle squeeze. Hermione looked over to find the shite-eating grin on her face as she looked back up at her with a wink as she counted down with the crowd, Blaise stood on her other side offering out glasses of champagne.   
  
It was the first time she was excited and happy. She smiled back to Pansy and mouthed a silent _Thank you!_  
  
"Seven!"  
  
Theo found them still flying solo, and gave her an auspicious wink as he reached over to grab his own glass of champagne before he too began the count down. It looked like Mrs. Nott would have to wait.   
  
The thrumming of the music still pulsed around them almost magically as they counted away the old year, sending it away to welcome a new.   
  
"Four!"  
  
This year. This would be her year, the year Hermione would get everything she wanted, and she would find her own happiness.  
  
"Three!" Her lungs burned as she laughed and shouted along with her friends. "Two! One! Happy New Years!"  
  
She toasted to Pansy and Blaise then turned to meet Draco's unreadable molten gray eyes, then reached across to find Theo. Afterwards they all exclaimed, and her head tipped back as she took down the celebratory glass of bubbly.  
  
She vaguely recalled hearing the sound of shattering glass before her world suddenly pitched backwards and a set of warm lips came crushing down upon hers. Draco's arm cradled her back as he tipped her to the side to capture her lips to the fullest. She let out a small gasp of surprise, and he took the opening to tentatively explore her mouth, gently bringing his tongue to kiss hers for the briefest moment before pulling away.   
  
"Happy New Year Hermione." Draco Malfoy saying her name for the first time for her ears sounded like the most sinful sound on Earth.   
  
Hermione melted, right then and there. She was lost to his crystal gray depths.   
  
"Happy... New Year Draco." She let out very breathily.  
  


**A/N: So no this isn’t what I was supposed to be do be doing but tada… it was fun and light. Im’ma get back to reality now with time travel. As usual love the comments** **😊 and here are a few of the artists that got this one going.**

**_Smile_ – Maisie Peters**

**_All of my Friends are Rich_ \- Upsahl**

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So no this isn’t what I was supposed to be do be doing but tada… it was fun and light. Im’ma get back to reality now with time travel. As usual love the comments 😊 and here are a few of the artists that got this one going.
> 
> Smile – Maisie Peters
> 
> All of my Friends are Rich- Upsahl


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